The Keeper
by d.trinity
Summary: Kagome's life is turned upside down. What impact will her decisions make on her life?  will update summary as story progresses
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note:

This is my first fanfic, and really my first writing anything beyond schoolwork period, so I would appreciate any feedback that you're inclined to give. I'm going into this intending for it to be adult-themed, so if that makes you uncomfortable, don't read. Thanks so much!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Inuyasha. This is purely for my enjoyment, and hopefully yours as well!

Chapter 1: Gone

Tears streamed down the young woman's face in a flow that she felt would never end. She couldn't understand how everything could go so wrong, so quickly. She turned her red-rimmed chocolate brown eyes to look on her brother, sleeping on the old couch of the private waiting room. What were they going to do?

Three years ago, Kagome Higurashi was pulled into the bone eater's well and there she met Inuyasha. Her shattering of the Shikon no Tama may have been the initial cause for their journey, but her love for him was what kept her going. It's true that she felt a responsibility to return the jewel to its completed state, but she'd be lying if she said that was what kept her returning to the Feudal Era.

Inuyasha had promised to protect her, and even loved her to a certain degree, but she must have been delusional to believe that his affections for her surpassed those for her dead rival, Kikyo. She really believed that they had a chance. After all, didn't he say that he wanted to be with her? That he always wanted her by his side? Believing his words, she gave in to him. The thing that only she could give, she gave in love, and had it thrown back in her face. At the height of her passion, when she was so close to some unknown release, it wasn't her name whispered from his lips, but Kikyo's.

A person would think that would be enough, after all the times he had already hurt her; that her love for him would finally die. How she wished it would. Maybe then her present suffering wouldn't be half so painful.

Her mother knew something was wrong when Kagome came back through the well. It took two weeks before she confessed what had happened, and her mother was justifiably upset. Who wants their daughter to be hurt? But love is stupid, and Kagome stubbornly ignored the advice of her mother to stay home. They argued for days over her return, and in the end, their last words were those spoken in anger.

Gramps had a heart attack that night, and her mother was rushing him to the hospital, leaving her little brother in her care. Maybe if they hadn't argued…

Kagome shuddered and gasped, her chest squeezing until it felt like she couldn't breathe. Gramps had passed away due to the heart attack on the way to the hospital, so she was told by the medics when she arrived to the emergency room. Her mother had been in critical care; a truck driver, far too intoxicated to be driving, had run a red light and smashed into the driver's side door of her mother's car. Three other cars were hit as well; the total was five dead and two seriously injured. After waiting four hours while her mother underwent surgery, a doctor came to inform her that they were unable to stop the internal bleeding and that her mother was gone.

They were now orphans, Kagome thought. _How am I going to take care of him? I've just graduated high school…the jewel is still shattered…I'm alone…Mom…_

"Miss Higurashi?" a voice called.

Startled, Kagome turned her head to find one of the nurses on call standing in the door. She looked as if she had called her name a few times, trying to gain her attention. _What was her name again?_

"Miss Higurashi, we need to finalize plans for your mother and grandfather. A social worker has been called to take your brother to a foster home until such time as we can find him a permanent one."

Kagome shook her head, confused. "Souta's coming home with me. I'll take care of him."

The nurse looked at her with pity, which created a spark of anger within Kagome. "I'm afraid that won't be possible. With his legal guardians dead, and you without income, he won't be permitted to leave here with you."

Her brown eyes flared angrily. "I have just lost my mother and grandfather. You are not going to take him from me, too."

"I don't have a choice, Miss Higurashi. I was just told to let you know."

Kagome's eyes softened. The nurse couldn't do anything, she wasn't in charge. Nevertheless, a bitter tone was present when she asked, "Can I take him home to pick up some clothing? Maybe a game or two? Just some things so he won't feel completely abandoned."

The nurse hesitated. "…I suppose so. I will have to check with Dr. Hoang, but maybe with an escort that would be allowed."

"Thank you," Kagome said, bowing her head.

As the nurse left the room, Kagome's head was spinning. No one was going to take Souta from her, but how was she going to stop them? The nurse was right; she had no income, and no means of transportation. Where would they go?

The thought struck like lightening, widening her eyes. She had somewhere to go, but could she take him with her? Should she endanger him by taking him back?

Souta shifted on the cot where he slept. Kagome rose from where she was seated next to the room's sole window, where she had been watching rain hit the glass, and went to his side. She put her hand on his shoulder and gently shook him awake.

"Wha-? Sis? What's going on?" Souta asked, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"We need to go home. We need to pack some things before you go."

"Where am I going?" Panic started to show in his face at the thought of his unknown destination.

"A social worker is coming to take you to a foster home. You don't want to go, do you?" Kagome asked, eyes steady on his. He had eyes just like their mother.

"No, I'm staying with you!" he cried. Tears were starting to brim in his eyes, threatening to fall down his cheeks.

"Then you need to do what I say, understand? We're going home to pack before you go," she said. Seeing how frightened he was, she took his hands in her own and whispered, "Trust me. I'm going to take care of you." _How am I going to make this work?_

Souta slowly nodded his head and looked to the door as it swung open to readmit the nurse.

"We've gotten approval to take you home so that you can gather some clothing. We're not sure how long it will take before a more permanent situation can be found, so make sure to pack for several days. A hospital escort will take you to the shrine and return you here, for when the social worker arrives."

"Thank you," Kagome said standing, her hands still holding Souta's. "We're ready to go whenever you are."

The nurse nodded and said, "Follow me."

Kagome and Souta followed the nurse down the hall and into the emergency waiting room. Kagome's heart was numb now; she focused on what she was going to do once they arrived at the shrine.

A large man was standing by the automatic doors, watching as they approached. His eyes showed the same pity that the nurse had exhibited, but they were still alert to their movements. _He is not going to make this easy_, Kagome thought.

The escort, whose name Kagome did not remember getting, drove them to the shrine. She held Souta's hand in hers, as she gazed out the window. On the outside, she was the very image of calm, but on the inside, she was almost frantic, envisioning what they needed before leaving. _Clothes…food…medical supplies…thank the Kamis I never unpacked when I came home!_

They arrived at the shrine quickly, and Kagome dragged Souta from the car, pulling up the stairs to the main house. When she felt they were far enough away that the escort wouldn't hear her, Kagome whispered, "Grab your backpack and pack it with as many clothes as you can fit. When you're done, meet me in the kitchen."

Kagome slid open the door to said room, and froze. The remainder of the dinner that her mother prepared was still sitting on the table, forgotten in the rush to the hospital. Her eyes began to sting, and she shook her head to stop the tears before they began again. Souta just stared at her with wide eyes.

"Go," was all she said.

As Souta ran up the stairs to his room, Kagome pulled her backpack onto the table to see what items she needed to restock. She ran to the bathroom off the hall leading to the living room and grabbed fresh rolls of bandages and antibiotics, rubbing alcohol and her own toiletries. Back in the kitchen, she threw all of the herbs and spices she could find into a bag, along with leftover food items from the refrigerator. Glancing through the window over the kitchen sink, she saw the escort standing at the top of the shrine steps, waiting for them to come out.

Souta stumbled down the stairs; the backpack he wore looked heavy enough to topple him backwards. In his hand he held a stuffed toy dog that their mother had given him when he was still a baby. Kagome didn't have the heart to tell him to leave it.

"Sis, where are we going? Why do we need all this stuff?" he asked.

"We're going where no one can take you away from me," she murmured to herself. Turning to look at him, she asked, "Did you remember everything? Socks? Underwear?"

He paused and then ran back upstairs as quickly as the heavy pack would let him. A few minutes later he was back in the kitchen, his cheeks a little pink from embarrassment. "Got it," he said.

Kagome took a look around the kitchen, trying to think of anything else they might need. On a whim, she went to her mother's room and looked around, saying her goodbyes. As she glanced down at the bureau across from the bed, she saw the locket that her mother rarely removed, as it contained a miniature portrait of her and her husband before he had died. Kagome picked it up, noticing the clasp was broken, and slipped it into the pocket of her jeans before stopping by her grandfather's room. The only item she removed was an old sword that her grandfather kept hanging on the wall behind his bed, as a reminder of their ancestry. It had a shining silver blade, a simple black wooden handle, and a blue and white patterned sash, which she used to tie it to her belt. The hang of the sword was awkward, but she wanted to take it in remembrance of him and as further protection for Souta.

Souta looked curiously at the sword when she reentered the kitchen, but said nothing. She picked up her yellow backpack and slid it on, grabbing the extra bag of kitchen supplies and food and walked to the door. She turned around and said, "We need to walk quickly to the well house. Do not look at the man and do not stop if he calls or comes for us. Understand?"

Souta nodded, his eyes going wide. He finally understood his sister's plan of escape. He followed her out of the kitchen door, arms shaking as he held onto his stuffed toy, and quickly walked across the courtyard to the well house. As she predicted, the man who escorted them called, sounding startled, when he noticed them walking away from him. From the corner of his eye, Souta could see him quickly advancing.

Kagome ignored the escort, eyes trained on the doorway that would lead her to the well. Silently, she prayed: _please let this work. Please let us pass through the well…_

The door to the well house was open, and after they had passed through, Kagome turned to shut it. She looked around to see what she could find to block it, and found nothing but stored boxes and Grampa's masks. A bag in her right hand, Kagome took Souta's hand into her left. Looking at him, face grim, she asked, "Are you ready?"

Souta looked seriously at his sister. He had tried once to get through the well without success, and now he was afraid. Looking into her face, however, he knew that she would protect him, even if he'd never admit out loud that he needed it. He nodded, his eyes suddenly looking much older than he was even an hour ago. With that, they climbed to the top of the well and jumped, finding themselves surrounded by light.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Decisions

Under the starry skies lay a hanyou, amber eyes staring blankly into nothingness. He lay on his back, one arm behind his head, the other wrapped around the woman he thought he had chosen. After an evening of love making, she had fallen asleep, limbs entwined with his. Her scent, though one normally of clay and graveyard soil, was now mixed with his. One would think that this would be comforting to him, but it failed to soothe his troubled mind.

Inuyasha knew he had done wrong by Kagome. She had freed him from the tree, stuck by him through many battles, and most importantly, had loved him despite his being a hanyou. Never in his life had someone accepted him so completely. Not even the woman by his side, though he did love her; hadn't she requested that he become fully human for her, so that they could be together? So why had he chosen the dead priestess over the living one?

He didn't blame her for running back home. He had thought that he'd made up his mind, that he wanted to be with her, and he had told her as much. It had started with a simple kiss that had quickly led to hands teasing and groping each other, and before they knew it, all their clothes were gone. She was beautiful. Long, lean legs that seemed to stretch on for miles, her flat stomach and perky breasts that begged him to be sucked. Her long black hair flowed like a river to her waist and he could just imagine it spread on the ground with her head thrown back as he pleasured her. Her brown eyes were dark with desire, and when he came to her, hands hesitantly touching her hardened nipples, she hadn't refused him. He could smell her arousal and salivated at the thought of tasting her. They had kissed again, slowly, and then with steadily building ardor, tongues battling. He was painfully hard, but he knew that he needed to take it slow as she was still untouched. Her hands grasped at his shoulders, her hard nails biting his skin in a pleasurably painful way. He kissed his way from her mouth to her neck, and she moaned as he started to suck and nibble at the sensitive skin. She was as ready for him as she'd ever be, and had begged him to enter. Knowing that she'd experience some pain this first time, he readily complied, positioning the tip of his engorged member at her wet entrance. She shifted and groaned, and as he slid into her entrance with one swift stroke, his mind flashed to the only other woman with which he'd had intimate contact. Her name was the one to slip from his lips, not Kagome's, and he knew that she'd heard him as she froze, tightening around him where he still remained inside her. He'd removed himself, going soft as he realized what he had done. Her face was one of shock, not really staring at him. He apologized, multiple times, trying to get some reaction from her. Kagome simply lifted herself off of the ground, gathered her clothes, and left. He hadn't seen her since.

Maybe he should have tried harder to follow her. As much as he knew she wouldn't want to see him, much less talk to him, maybe he should have stopped her from going home. Instead, he sought out Kikyo. If he was calling her name, even in the arms of another, she had to be who he subconsciously wanted to be with, right?

With a sigh, Inuyasha closed his eyes and tried to wipe his mind clean. It would do no good to dwell on the past. All he could do was wait for when she came back…if she ever did.

Kagome and Souta stood silently at the bottom of the well. She wanted to make sure that everything was safe before emerging with her unprepared brother. She closed her eyes, sending her senses farther and farther out, attempting to discern whether or not there were demons present. Her senses stretched almost to Kaede's village, and still she sensed nothing. Not even Inuyasha. _Don't think about him_, she thought.

Opening her eyes, she gave a slight smile to Souta. "I'm going to climb out first, just to make sure everything's clear. I'll come back for your stuff, and then you can come up."

Souta, still surprised to have passed through the well, just nodded. He looked up and saw nothing but the sky with an explosion of stars. Having never left Tokyo, he had never seen anything like it. It even smelled different here…cleaner maybe? Definitely more earthy.

Kagome grabbed one of the vines that grew down the length of the well, using the rough stone construction as footholds as she began to climb. The first trip up the well wasn't as easy as it normally would be, as the old sword by her waist was determined to tangle itself between in legs. By the second trip with the bag of food, she began to feel a little winded with a slight burn to the muscles of her arms and thighs; the final trip with Souta's baggage had her limbs screaming. _What did he pack in this thing?_

Standing at the top of the well, she looked down to her brother. "Think you can climb up on your own?"

"Yeah…" he replied.

His ascent certainly wasn't as fast as her first trip had been, even challenged as she was by the weapon at her side, but it didn't take as long as she had expected, either. After letting him rest for a moment, she picked up her backpack and kitchen bag, signaling Souta to pick up his as well.

"We'll head to the village nearby. We should be able to get lodging with Kaede, the priestess in residence," Kagome said. _Hopefully, she'll be able to help me figure out what to do next_.

They slowly made their way through the forest, Kagome keeping her pace to match Souta's. He may have been as active as any other nine year old his age, but he wasn't used to all the walking that had become second nature to her here in the Feudal Era. They reached the edge of the rice fields and started along the dirt road that lead through the center of the village. As it was nearly midnight, Kagome hardly expected anyone to be awake for their arrival. They entered the village and made their way to Kaede's house. Kagome saw movement from the corner of her eye, and before she knew it, she'd dropped her bags to receive the small demon that leaped into her arms.

"Kagome! You're back!" Shippo cried, his arms encircling her neck in a tight embrace. Although he knew she had left because Inuyasha had hurt her again (because why else would she leave him without an explanation?), he had worried that she wasn't going to come back. She'd always come back after a few days in the past.

Kagome laughed and returned the hug of her adopted son. Whatever feelings she may have had about Inuyasha, she could never have abandoned Shippo permanently. "Shippo, I've missed you. How is everyone?"

The reply came from her left, and she looked at the woman emerging the house. Sango's hair was loose, flowing gently down her back; obviously she had just risen from her bed. "We've been fine, Kagome. How are you? You were gone longer this time…"

Sango was like a sister to Kagome, and knew that something must have gone wrong when she saw the boy standing slightly behind her. The hair was different, and he was shorter, but he reminded her so much of her own brother when he was younger that her heart ached. "Who is this, Kagome?"

As Shippo moved to sit on her shoulder, Kagome turned and placed her arm around Souta's shoulders. "Sango, Shippo, this is my brother, Souta. Souta, this is Sango, a demon slayer, and Shippo, my son."

Souta turned startled eyes up to his sister. Since when did she have a kid? He looked closer at the boy sitting on her shoulder and his eyes grew round. The kid had pointed ears and paws for feet! The boy started to smile at him…were those fangs?

"It is nice to meet you, Souta," said Sango, gaining his attention. She was beautiful! Long dark hair, tall, like his sister, and dark blue eyes. He began to blush as he stuttered, "H-hello."

Sango smiled and looked at Kagome again. She searched Kagome's eyes with her own, and found pain lying deep inside them. "Come inside. You need to rest."

She held the flap open as the trio walked back inside the house. Three mats lay on the floor, the fire pit in the center almost burned out. Two of the mats were unoccupied; the third held the sleeping monk, his back to the door. Kagome looked into the shadowed corners of the room, but found them empty. She turned questioning eyes to Sango, who in turn gave a slight shake of her head.

Souta slid to the floor, his eyes beginning to feel like weights that he was hard pressed to keep open. Kagome knelt down and opened his backpack, finding with relief that he had packed a sleeping bag. She unrolled the bag, and tucked him in. Within minutes, he was asleep. Shippo, also tired, fell asleep next to him.

"Kagome, what happened? Why is your brother here?" Sango asked in low tones.

Kagome sat for a moment, staring into the fire before responding. "Our mother was killed in an accident, and our grandfather died of a heart attack. The authorities were going to take Souta from me. I couldn't think of anything else to do, but to bring him here."

"Are you sure that was the best thing for him?"

Kagome turned her head and looked at her. "He's all I have left. I can't lose him too."

Sango quietly sighed and moved to sit next to her. "I understand," she replied, now staring into the fire herself.

Kagome felt a slight twinge of regret for her wording. "Sango, I know that you are here for me…I appreciate it. Without him, though, I would have nothing to go home to."

"Can you go home, now? Without your mother and grandfather, what will happen to your home?"

Her head started to spin at the thought of not being able to return to the future. She hadn't considered what would happen with her hasty departure. She hadn't gotten settled the plans for her family's bodies, or for the shrine. Would they auction it off, without someone there to claim it? And what about Souta? He hadn't come anywhere close to finishing school! She had taken him with her, with no thought given to what she was taking away from him.

She turned panic filled eyes to Sango, feeling on the very edge of a mental breakdown. "What am I going to do?"

Sango took at long look at her, really taking in her appearance. Her black hair was a tangled mess, her brown eyes red and swollen from crying. Her skin was pasty white, and she had dark circles under her eyes. Kagome looked about ready to fall apart; it was a miracle that she had gotten her brother here at all.

"We'll help you to take care of him, Kagome," she replied, willing calmness to her friend. She took the miko's hands in her own and steadily gazed into the other's eyes. "We won't leave you."

Kagome's eyes lost some of the shining fear as she took as steadying breath. "I know. Thank you."

"Get some sleep, Kagome. You won't be any good to him without rest."

She turned to her backpack and pulled her own sleeping bag out. She climbed into the fabric cocoon and was soon lost to dreams of better days.


	3. Chapter 3

Author's note: I'm SO sorry. I felt that I needed to get that out first. I started this story because I thought it'd be a great stress reliever, something fun to do outside of work and class. Unfortunately, I bit off a heck of a lot more than I could chew with the classes I took (organic chemistry and pathophysiology, anyone?) and in trying to keep up with my full-time job. For those who have read and commented, thank you so much. You have no idea how excited I was to see the response to my first couple chapters. I'm hoping to be much better about updating now that school is over. Please give me another chance. I'd really appreciate any comments/reviews as I'm looking to get better :).

Chapter 3: Taking Care of Business

A sliver a light appeared from under the flap entrance to Kaede's hut, and slowly crept along the floor until it lit up the face of the sleeping miko. At its warm intrusion to her dreamless sleep, Kagome rolled onto her back, covering her still closed eyes with one forearm. Slowly, memories of the previous night returned to her and Kagome bolted upright, glancing to her left toward the rear of the house. There, still asleep, was her brother. Eyes widening, Kagome shook her head as one thought came to her mind: _Shit! What did I do?_

She noticed that, with the exception of Shippo, the siblings were alone. Kagome crawled out of her sleeping bag, rolling it up and placing it by her pack, and tiptoed to the entrance, where she slipped out into the cool morning air. She closed still swollen eyes and took a deep breath, letting the clean air fill her up before exhaling. Most of the village was beginning to wake, everyone seeming completely at peace. Kagome felt like an intruder to such a scene.

She walked to the river near to Kaede's hut, intending to wash any remaining sleep from her face when she saw her reflection. Looking at the tired and disheveled girl, she wondered how Sango had remained so calm last night. Her attempt to straighten her tangled hair with her fingers was futile, and she quickly gave up with a grimace. Kneeling by the river, she cupped her hands together and submerged them in the water, splashing it quickly on her face with a gasp. That task done, she rose and returned to the hut.

On her return, she saw the panicked face of her brother as he searched for something familiar. She quickly went to his side and hugged him to her. Her movements woke Shippo, who blinked sleep-filled green eyes up at the pair.

Kagome looked down at a calmer face, asking "How'd you sleep?"

Souta pulled out of his sister's embrace and shrugged. With her familiar presence, he grew bolder and got up from the sleeping bag, walking around fire pit in the center of the hut. Try as he might to appear indifferent to the new surroundings, Kagome could see the curiosity building as he looked at each new object. Quickly, though, his curious looks became more frantic, searching ones.

"Um, sis? Where's the bathroom?" Souta asked, his face flushing red in embarrassment.

"I'm sorry, Souta!" Kagome said with a short laugh. _Boy, does it feel good to laugh._ "I didn't think about that. I'll take you to the woods; I'm afraid that there are no real bathrooms here."

Souta looked at his sister, mortified. It wasn't that he hadn't he had relieved his needs outdoors before, but that was in an extreme emergency when he was little in the woods near the shrine and couldn't make it to the bathroom in time. Now he was expected to go in _public_?

Kagome watched, her eyes beginning to twinkle in amusement as she watched his face fall into a frown, processing this new information. She wondered if he noticed that he was beginning to do shuffle back and forth from one foot to the other as his need grew. She felt her own eyes grow more serious and she sighed, her own mood shifting. _There's so much he doesn't know…how am I going to take care of him?_

More of the morning light entered the hut as the flap to the entrance was shifted. Kagome looked over to see Sango's return with Kilala on her shoulder, arms filled with herbs and root vegetables. She scrambled to her feet just as Sango set her load down beside the fire pit in the center of the room.

Sango looked over to Kagome, noticing that her face at least was free from the panic and fatigue of the night before. Some circles still remained under her eyes, and her hair was still a mess, but her appearance was definitely improved. Her eyes shifted over to Souta and a small smile formed; his shuffling dance easily conveyed his discomfort. Turning to Kagome, she said, "I gathered some food for a small breakfast. Would you mind cooking, Kagome? You're so good with the meals. I can take Souta out back."

Kagome gave a small smile and replied, "Yeah, I can do that. Thanks, Sango."

Shippo's head turned back and forth, watching the exchange between the two women. He didn't know what was going on, or why Kagome brought her brother, but he did know that Kagome wasn't herself. Her energy, one that always felt so warm and welcoming, full of love and life, was dampened. It felt…heavier? He looked to Sango as she reached to pull back the flap to go.

"Souta, if you're ready?" she asked. Shippo hopped on her unoccupied left shoulder, intending to tag along.

Souta looked to Kagome, who nodded her head. He was beginning to feel desperate enough that he didn't care who he went with, as long as he could _go_ already. He quickly followed the woman out of the hut, his eyes locked on her brown-black hair where it was tied in the middle of her back. He looked up to the boy on her shoulder, the boy Kagome said was her son. _What was his name again?_ _Shippo? Funny name…_

"How are you feeling this morning, Souta?" Sango asked, turning to look over her shoulder at him. In the light of day, he looked a lot like Kagome. Same big brown eyes, same mouth, though his hair was a dark reddish brown like her own, and not the blue black of his sister's. She saw a blush steal across his cheeks as he met her questioning gaze.

"Um…I'm okay," he quietly replied, embarrassed. He was eleven now…why was he blushing? "You're Sango, right?"

"Yes, and this is Kilala," she said, indicating the two-tailed cat demon riding her shoulder. "You met Shippo last night."

Shippo hopped down from Sango's shoulder to land directly in front of Souta. "So you're Kagome's brother. Good to meet you!" he grinned.

Souta's eyes widened at the kit. _He _does_ have fangs!_ He almost stuttered, asking, "Wha-…what are you? Are you a demon?" He'd heard his sister talk about them on her trips home…and he knew Inuyasha was a half-demon…but still…

"Yeah! I'm a fox demon!" Shippo said with a laugh. "Come on, I'll show you where to go in the woods."

Shippo grabbed his hand and dragged him past Sango, up the dirt path behind the hut to a dense clump of trees. Sango continued to follow slowly behind, wanting to give Souta some privacy. Kilala hopped into her arms, where she began to stroke the fur of the cat demon. She smiled, remembering the innocence of Kohaku at that age…before Naraku came along, that is.

A short distance away from the village in which Kagome and her friends currently resided, in a small flowered copse in Inuyasha's forest, a young girl hummed a tune to herself as she gathered daisies for a crown. She knelt in the field of flowers, content to spend the day waiting for her lord to return. She could still vaguely hear the chatter of Master Jaken, but did her best to tune him out. It wasn't like she was going anywhere, after all.

_Why does my Lord Sesshomaru have to leave his faithful servent yet again with this human brat?_ Jaken lamented for the millionth time. After almost three years of babysitting the girl, he would have thought that his lord would have had the good sense to leave her by now. _As humans go, she really isn't that much a bother though…wait! What am I saying? She's just a filthy human!_

Jaken sighed and sat beside an old tree, seeing that his charge was busy occupying herself picking flowers again. Ah-Un, their two-headed dragon companion, lay beside him, both heads watching the girl as she sat and sang. He never would have admitted it, neither aloud or in his head, but Rin's voice was soothing. He felt his lids grow heavy and fall over his bulbous eyes and within seconds, he was asleep.

Rin looked over and laughed quietly, seeing that Master Jaken had fallen asleep again. She looked down to the pile of flowers in her lap and began to braid them together, her thoughts wandering to her lord again. _I wonder how long Lord Sesshomaru will be gone this time? He's already been away for a few days._

Unknown to Rin, Shippo had lead Souta to some bushes just a short distance away from her field. The kit stopped and looked up at Souta, stating simply, "Here ya go."

Souta blushed again. How was he supposed to do anything with Shippo just standing there? "Umm…can you go away? Or turn around? Or…something?"

Shippo shrugged and started to walk past the bushes. He understood Souta's need to be alone, but it's not like he was human with their dull senses. His ear twitched as a soft humming reached him just beyond where Souta was taking care of business. The voice sounded familiar…

"Okay, I'm done!" Souta said loudly. Not seeing where Shippo had gone, he shoved his way through the bushes and around a few trees in a slightly different direction from the kit. "Shippo? Where'd you go?" he asked, stumbling through the underbrush.

Shippo heard Souta and found that the boy had already walked a short distance off. He quickly caught up and touched his back, causing Souta to cry out in surprise. At his cry, the humming Shippo still heard fell silent. He turned his head in the direction the sounds had come from and started walking in that direction. His curiosity peaked, Souta followed, asking, "Where are we going?"

Shippo turned to Souta and responded, "I heard singing. I just wanted to see who it was."

Souta gave Shippo an odd look. _What singing?_ He thought. Just then, they walked through a break in the trees into a meadow filled with flowers. It wasn't very big, and the grass wasn't that high, so his gaze was immediately drawn to the girl sitting in the middle of it. With a ponytail on the side of her head, she didn't look to be much older than him.

Rin looked up to find that she was no longer alone with Master Jaken and Ah-Un. At first, she just saw a strange boy with messy hair and weird clothes. Then she saw the bright red ponytail of the demon beside him. With a happy smile, she jumped up and exclaimed, "Shippo!"

Shippo smiled back when he recognized Rin. They weren't friends; how could they be, when she was always traveling around with that mean Sesshomaru? But despite that, he liked her anyway. She was always nice to him when their groups had run into each other in the past. He startled to see Ah-Un stand from where he was resting and relaxed again, once he saw that the two-headed demon was only looking to observe their meeting.

Jaken came quickly awake at Rin's cry and Ah-Un's movement. Thinking they must be under attack, he grabbed his staff of two heads and ran over to the girl. _Lord Sesshomaru will kill me if anything happens to her!_

Jaken stopped in front of Rin, halting her movement towards the two boys, and planted the staff firmly in the ground. Having just woken, he didn't recognize the kit as the demon that traveled with his lord's half-brother until after the fire began to stream from one head of the staff.

To Souta, who felt that he was doing fairly well with all the new stuff in the feudal era, a shot of fear singed his veins as he saw the fire emitted from the staff held by the little green toad. Tightly closing his eyes, he threw back his head and yelled, "_KAGOME!_"


End file.
